A pleasant morning sitting with my friends here at the house just gabbing away. I was up and about a bit later than usual this morning, so there was no hurry, or much need, for much in the way of breakfast for me as we were all going to go to lunch at Sushi Den at 11:30 anyway. So we just sat and talked about books and politics and boat trips and such for a couple of hours instead.

   As I said, we headed over to Sushi Den on South Pennsylvania street around 11:00, where we met up with George and Marge's son Mike and his wife and son. I have loved sushi from the first time I ever had it, and I have to say that this place has probably the best stuff I have ever eaten. Very fresh, prepared well, and beautifully, and then the taste..... oh my! It's sushi heaven for sure.

    A very nice couple of hours to enjoy lunch and then over to Mike and Catherine's new house to check it out. Only 3 houses down from their old house, this one is also in the Washington Park neighborhood, so right there in very familiar territory. Also a very nice house.... I like the way the front living space has a high beamed ceiling and has patio doors that open right out to the front deck. Also the dining space is spacious, but feels intimate because of the fireplace and the way it melds into the other rooms to either side. But the kitchen is what I loved. Big, open with lots of counter space and everything laid out in a logical order. I especially liked the 5 burner gas cook top they have.

    Back to George and Marge's after that, and a chance to finally do some work on some of my photo's. Got enough sorted and picked out to post some here tonight. Sorry they were taken several weeks ago, but that is just how it goes sometimes.

     Went and met up with my cousins from California early this evening at El Tejado. Yes, it was Mexican food yet again, and even at the same restaurant as the other night. Sometimes it's just hard to  say no to such good food. A nice pleasant dinner with the 5 of them and then off to their hotel for a glass of wine and a couple more hours of discussion on family history and such. Finished up pretty late so I'm glad there was time earlier today to get a few other things done. I'm going to call it a night and leave you with a few photo's from a short trip out to Lake Minatare on July 7th to see the 'Light House' they have there.

Lake Minatare Nebraska Light House - July 7, 2013

Built by the 'Veteranes Conservation Corp, VCC, in 1939, the Lake Minatare Light House is not a light house at all but actually serves as a shelter house and observatory on a point of land jutting out into the lake. There is no light in the structure, but it looks enough like a real light house that everyone who sees it thinks it is one. I think it actually looks better than some of the real ones I've seen on my travels.

One of those original 'make work' or stimulus projects designed during the depression to put people to work, you can see the craftsmanship in every stone that was laid up.

The tower stands 55 feet above the surrounding ground and then is located on a piece of land that is usually at least 5-20 feet higher than the surrounding lake. My nephew did tell me though, that a few years back the water level of the lake actually made it to the base of the structure.

I just think it is cool looking.

 

One view of the stairs that wind their way from the base all the way to the top of the tower. They would never be able to meet code these days just because of the width, but it was kind of neat to  wander up them and look out at the lake on 3 sides of the tower.